PPBF/ Goin’ Someplace Special

Hi Friends!

Some may think I should put up a special Thanksgiving book since this is the last time before Thanksgiving we will do a Perfect Picture Book Friday selection. But really this book exemplifies many of the things I am grateful for this year. Love of books and library fun, the special places books bring me and the special programs libraries give, and a little girl who knows all that and has to fight humiliations to get there, is all it for me. We have come far since segregation but still have so far to go. Racism is still a battle we are fighting. Here is my special pick for today. Grab your coffee and have fun.

Title: Goin’ Someplace Special

Author/ Illustrator: Patricia C. Mckissack/ Jerry Pinkney

Publisher and info: Atheneum books for young readers, an imprint of S and S/ 2001/

Fiction/ Coretta Scott King Award

Themes: Afro-American, Segregation, Love of reading, Self Respect.

Appropriate ages: 8 –11  /  grades three thru six

Summary: In segregated 1950’s Nashville, a young African-American girl braves a series of indignities and obstacles to get to one of the few integrated places in town, the public library.

What the jacket says: “There’s a place in this 1950’s southern town where all are welcome, no matter what their skin color… and ‘Tricia Ann knows exactly how to get there. To her, it’s someplace special and she’s bursting to go by herself.

When her grandmother sees that she’s ready to take such a big step, ‘Tricia Ann hurries to catch the bus heading downtown. But unlike the white passengers, she must sit in the back behind the Jim Crow sign and wonder why life’s so unfair.

Still, for each hurtful sign seen and painful comment heard, there’s a friend around the corner reminding ‘Tricia Ann that she is not alone. And even her grandmother’s words – “You are somebody, a human being – no better, no worse than anybody else in this world”—echo in her head, lifting her spirits and pushing her forward.”

Why I love the book: Like all of Jerry Pinkney’s work the rich watercolor illustrations are a real addition to this manuscript. His art makes each page a delight to look at and read. The story is special because of where it leads, the public library. ‘Tricia Ann is a special child in that she goes on despite the hurtful signs and comments finding solace in her grandmother’s voice in her head and heart. There is back matter explaining that Afro-American children usually weren’t allowed out of their own communities until elders were sure they could with stand the Jim Crow laws.

Resources: Here is the go to place for all of Coretta Scott King books

Listen to Jerry Pinkney discuss the process for illustrating Goin’ Someplace Special

Explore all online resources about Goin’ Someplace Special

 

For the Common Core Standards for grades three and five by teachers for teachers readers can go   here: 

Here are my gifts for my writer friends.

From Cynsations: should picture book writers always find resolutions and bullies always get their best deserts.

For book mapping and finding the emotional map in your book:

And for my readers who journal, here is another great post by Write to Done. And journaling exercises to bring you closer to your story in your manuscript or your story in memoir. Great post.

Please join other bloggers in Perfect Picture Book Friday over at Susanna Leonard Hill’s site to see other fun books. http://susannahill.blogspot.com/p/perfect-picture-books.html

For more links to Perfect Picture Books, a collection of bloggers who contribute at Susanna Leonard Hill’s site, click here.  There will not be a PPBF next week since it is the day after Thanksgiving and we all need time to digest turkey. See you on Tuesday though and find out who the winners of the give aways are.

XXOO

© 2013  Clara Bowman-Jahn/ Clarike Bowman-Jahn

“Colored” drinking fountain from mid-20th century with african-american drinking (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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